Automatic gathering valve



y 1955 F. MASTNOCK AUTOMATIC GATHERING VALVE 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed Feb. 3. 1950 Inventor Frank Mast/rock May 31, 1955 F. MASTNOCK AUTOMATIC GATHERING VALVE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 3, 1950 Frank Mas mock AUTOMATIC GATHERlNG VALVE Frank Mastnock, Meadow Lands, Pa.

Application February 3, 1950, Serial No. 142,291

Claims. (C. 137-413) The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in automatic gathering valves to simplify the function of the drainage system in coal mines or other drainage systems in such a manner that the valves will be entirely automatic and adequate to meet any conditions under which the same are used, and constitutes a continuation-inpart of my co-pending application, Serial No. 1,882, filed January l2, 1948, now Patent No. 2,633,865.

An important object of the invention is to provide an automatic gathering valve used in connection with gathering pumps of coal mine drainage systems and in which the valve is controlled by the suction of the pump.

A further object of the invention is to provide fioat control means to render the suction means inactive without interfering with the continuous operation of the pump.

A still further object is to provide a compression chamber and plunger for the cut-off valve of an intake pipe for the drainage system and providing a suction operated pump connected to the intake pipe and arranged whereby pressure from the pump will hold the cut-off valve in either open or closed position.

Another object is to provide a check valve for the water intake line which is also operated by suction from the gathering pump and connected to the suction line at a point in advance of the mechanism for operating the cut-off valve to avoid reduction in suction power for the check valve caused by the load imposed thereon by the cut-off valve mechanism.

Another object is to provide a float-controlled suction operated piston for opening and closing the check valve and providing control means for the cut-off valve operated by the check valve.

A still further object is to provide an automatic gathering valve for draining the drainage system of coal mines and which is of simple and practical construction, efiicient and reliable in operation, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and install in operative position and which is otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being bad to the accorn panying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of the protective housing for the gathering valve;

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view thereof;

Figure 3 is an enlarged "fragmentary sectional view of the snap lock for the suction operated valve and taken substantially on the line 33 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of the suction valve taken substantially on the line 44 of Figure 2.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein, for the purpose of illustration, I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 5 designates the intake pipe of a drainage system to which the usual suction pump (not shown) is connected. A gate type 2,7h9,447 Patented May 31, 1955 cut-off valve 6 is provided for pipe 5 and includes an upwardly extending valve stem 7 having a plunger 8 attached to its upper end and working in a compression chamber or cylinder 9. A spring 10 holds plunger 8 and valve 6 raised in open position.

Pressure lines 11 and 12 connect the top and bottom respectively of chamber 9 to a pair of pump chambers 13 and 14 formed by a sleeve or spacer 15 held between a pair of pistons 16 and 17 working in a cylinder 19. The sleeve 15 is of a diameter less than the internal diameter of cylinder 19 and a packing ring 20 is fixed in cylinder 19 and surrounds the sleeve with a working fit to separate the pump chambers 13 and 14.

A reservoir 23 is positioned on top of cylinder 19 having ports 24 and 25 connecting the reservoir to pump chambers 13 and 14 and provided with check valves 26 and 27. A pressure line 28 leads from reservoir 23 to pressure line 12 with a check valve 29 therein. A vented filler cap 30 is provided for reservoir 23.

Pipes 4% and 41 lead from the chambers 38 and 39 in the ends of cylinder 19 to a reversing valve designated generally at 42. The valve housing 42 is positioned horizontally and includes a plunger type valve 43 having vertical passages 44 and 45 therein, as well as diagonal passages 46 and 47 providing a four-Way valve. A vent pipe 48 and a suction pipe 49 are attached to the valve housing 42 at a side thereof diametrically opposite to the pipes 40 and 41 and opposed thereto. The suction pipe 49 is attached to the intake pipe 5 at the suction side of the valve 6, and the suction pipe 49 is provided with a check valve 50.

A tube 52 is slidable at one end in valve housing 42 and threaded to the valve 43, the other end of the tube being connected to a collar 53 for uniform movement with the valve. A piston rod 35 is connected to pistons 16 and 17 and is slidable in the collar and tube and provided with a fixed flange 35a, at opposite sides of which are positioned coil springs 35b and 35c in the tube to provide a yieldable connection between piston rod 35 and valve 43.

The collar 53 is provided with a pair of annular grooves 54 in which snap rollers 54a are alternately seated, the rollers being positioned at diametrically opposite sides of the collar and journaled on rods 56 supported in brackets 57 attached to the adjacent ends of chamber 19, the rods for the respective rollers being connected to each other by coil springs 58 to yieldably hold the rollers in the grooves 54.

A pivoted gate or check valve is positioned in intake pipe 5 at a point between cut-off valve 6 and its screened intake end 5a, the check valve 55 having an operating lever 57 projecting upwardly from pipe 5 and pivotally connected to a rod 58 projecting from one end of a cylinder 59 and connected to a piston 60 working in the cylinder. A suction pipe 61 connects suction line 49 to one side of a cylindrical valve housing 62a and a pipe 61a connects valve housing 62a to one end of cylinder 59.

A piston or plunger 62 working in housing 62a is formed with a U-shaped passage 62b which connects pipe 61a with a vent pipe 48a leading to vent pipe 48. Vent pipe 48a is connected to the other end of cylinder 59 to thus vent both ends thereof during opposite movements of piston 60.

Valve 62 is operated by a rod 63 extending downwardly therefrom and to the lower end of which an arm 64 is connected, the arm projecting radially from a shaft 65 to which a float arm 86 is connected for rocking the shaft. Float arm 66 extends downwardly with a float 67 at its lower end and positioned adjacent the inlet screen 56.

A cam 68 is also attached to shaft 65 with its hump 69 holding a coil spring 7% under tension for engaging a detent 71 at the lower end of the spring in engagement in one of a group of notches 72 in rod 53.

A cam shaft 73 is provided with a pair of earns 74 and 75, shaft 73 having an arm 76 at one end connected to the rod 58 by a pivot 77 for actuating the shaft by the movement of the rod.

A by-pass pipe 78 is connected to pipe 12 to by-pass check valve 29 and a plunger type valve 79 is connected in bypass pipe 78 and is operated by a pivoted lever 80 and push rod 81 having its lower end riding on cam 74 to hold valve 79 closed.

A by-pass pipe 32 also connects pipe 11 to pipe 23 and is also provided with a plunger type valve 83 operated by a pivoted lever 84 and push rod 85 having its lower end riding on cam 75. A coil spring 86 is held in a cage 87 by an adjusting screw 88 to adjust the tension of the spring, and spring 86 bears against lever 84 to hold valve 8.3 closed and to also exert a downward pressure on cams 74 and 75 to return piston 60 to the left in cylinder 59.

The entire apparatus is enclosed in a protective housing 89 above the intake pipe and is supported on legs 9%. The shaft 65 projects outwardly from one side of the housing for positioning float arm 66 and float 67 outwardly thereof.

The suction pump (not shown) for pumping water through pipe 5 is continuously operated to constantly maintain suction in pipe 49 when valves 6 and are either open or closed.

In the operation of the apparatus, and with valve 43 in the position shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, the vertical passage 45 in the valve will connect suction pipe 4-9 with chamber 39 while vertical passage 44 in valve 43 will connect chamber 38 with vent 4S. Pistons 16 and 17, accordingly, will be moved toward the right, piston 17 pumping the fiuid from chamber 14 through pipe 12 to the bottom of chamber 9 under plunger 8 to hold valve 6 open. Fluid in chamber 9 above plunger 8 will force valve 83 open to return the fluid to reservoir 23 by way of the lower section of pipe 11, by-pass pipe 82, and upper section of pipe 28. Float 67 is raised by accumulation of water in the mine working to lower valve 62 and to connect pipe 61a at the right end of cylinder 59 with pipe 61 and suction line 49 to thus move piston to the right and which also moves rod 58 toward the right. This movement of rod 58 pulls arm 76 to rock shaft 73 in a direction to raise earns 74 and 75. The movement of rod 58 also moves check valve 55 into its open position.

Rod 58 is held toward the right by spring forcing detent 71 into one of the notches 72.

When float 67 is lowered, pressure on spring 70 is released and tension of spring 86 acting on cam and fluid pressure in pipe 12 acting on piston valve 79 and cam 74- force the cams downwardly to return rod 58 and piston 69 to the left and to close check valve 55.

The opening and closing of valve 79 is opposite to valve 83 so that valve 79 is closed when valve 83 is open and vice versa. With valve 79 closed, fluid pressure in pipe 12 is not by-passed to return pipes 78 and 28 and pressure is constantly maintained under piston 3 to hold valve 6 open, while valve 83 remains open to bypass fluid pressure in pipe 11 back to pipe 28 by pipe 82.

Accordingly, as long as the level of water is sulficiently high to keep float 67 in a raised position, valve 6 and 55 will remain open and the water is pumped through pipe 5.

The reciprocating action of pump pistons 16 and 17 is controlled by valve 43 which is moved toward the right with a similar movement of the pistons to connect pipe 41 with vent 48 by passage 47 and to connect pipe 40 with suction pipe 4) by passage 48 to reverse the movement of the pistons.

The snap action rollers 54a and springs 35b and 35c will hold valve 43 momentarily in its opposite positions while suction is being built up in the chambers 13 and 14 4 before the valve moves into a reverse position to thus reverse the movement of the pistons.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. In a drainage system the combination of a suction pipe into which drainage Water is drawn, a first cut-off valve and a second cut-0E valve in said pipe, said first and second valves being successively spaced inwardly from the intake end of the pipe, suction actuated means connected directly to the suction pipe for opening the first valve, float controlled cut-oft" means for the suction actuated means, a closed fluid pressure system connected to the second valve for opening and closing the latter, said pressure system including a suction actuated mechanism connected to the suction pipe, said suction actuated means and said suction actuated mechanism being connected to said suction pipe at a point inwardly of both valves with respect to the intake end of said pipe, and reversing means for said fluid pressure system and connected to said suction actuated means to reverse the actuation of said second valve, said first named valve being directly responsive to suction in the pipe and said second named valve being indirectly actuated by suction in the pipe for closing movement to increase the sensitivity of the former.

2. in a drainage system including a suction pipe into which drainage water is drawn, a first cut-off valve and a second cut-oii valve in said pipe, said first and second valves being successively spaced inwardly from the intake end of the pipe, a suction operated piston, a first suction line connected to opposite sides of the suction piston, means connecting the suction piston to said first valve, a fluid pressure operated piston for actuating said second valve, a pump having a pair of pressure lines leading to opposite sides of said second piston for oppositely actuating the latter to open and close the second valve, a second suction line connecting said pump to the suction pipe, said first and second suction lines being connected to the suction pipe at a point inwardly of both valves with respect to the intake end of the suction pipe for operating the pump while both valves are in either their open or closed positions, valve means for the pressure lines, valve means for the first named suction line, and float control means for both of said last two named valve means to control actuation of both pistons in a simultaneous opening and closing movement of their related valves.

3. In a drainage system including a suction pipe into which drainage water is drawn, a first cut-off valve and a second cut-ofi valve in said pipe, said first and second valves being successively spaced inwardly from the intake end of the pipe, a suction operated piston, a first suction line connected to opposite sides of the suction piston, valve actuating means connecting the suction piston to said first valve, a fluid pressure operated piston for actuating said second valve, a pump having a pair of pressure lines leading to opposite sides of said second piston for oppositely actuating the latter to open and close the second valve, a second suction line connecting said pump to the suction pipe, said first and second suction lines being connected to the suction pipe at a point inwardly of both valves with respect to the intake end of the suction pipe for operating the pump while both valves are in either their open or closed positions, a reservoir for the pump, return lines connecting the pressure lines to the reservoir, valve means for the return lines, valve means for the first named suction line, float control means for the last named valve means to control actuation of the first piston in an opening and closing movement of said first valve, and means connecting the float control means to the valve means for the return lines to control opening and closing movement of said second valve.

4. In a drainage system including a suction pipe into which drainage water is drawn, a valve in said pipe, a fluid pressure operated piston for actuating said valve, a pump having a pair of pressure lines leading to opposite sides of said piston for oppositely actuating the piston to 5 6 open and close said valve, a by-pass for each pressure References Cited in the file of this patent line, valve means for each by-pass arranged for opposite opening and closing movement to supply pressure to one UNITED STATES PATENTS side of the pressure operated piston and to relieve pres- 585,377 Craig June 29, 1897 sure at the opposite side thereof, a suction operated piston, 5 1,078,783 Grimm Nov. 18, 1913 a section line connecting said suction piston to said suc- 1,576,675 Rohrig Mar. 16, 1926 tion pipe, a float controlled valve for said last named 1,722,058 Prentice July 23, 1929 piston, and means connecting the last named valve to the 2,145,602 Kirgan Jan. 31, 1939 by-pass valves for actuating the latter in accordance with a predetermined movement of the suction operated piston. 10 OTHER REFERENCES 5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said last named N 261,139, H. Waltenbauer (A. P. C.), pubmeans includes a cam shaft, a crank arm connecting the shed April 27 1943 now abandoned cam shaft to the suction operated piston, cams on the cam shaft, and mechanism connected to the by-pass valves and actuated by the cams. 15 

